Aroma Hop Steeping

[markp]

Hi,
I'd be grateful if someone could clarify on the following.

I am about to brew a recipe that calls for an amount of aroma hops to be added after the boil.
The schedule says to steep the hops (1g/l) at 80 degrees for 20 mins.

I'm assuming this means that after the boil I cool the wort to 80 degrees, then add the hops for 20 mins and then cool the wort down to pitching temperature.

Please can someone could confirm on that?? (or shoot me down in flames)

Thanks

 

[llannige]

Spot on. :thumb:

 

[corby_brewer]

as llannige says, your spot on.

 

[commsbiff]

With that question answered, I have another about this subject. Now, I believe one aim of brewing is to cool the wort as quickly as possible after the boil in order to prevent possible off-flavours. Now, to me, reducing the temp to 80degC to steep for 20 mins or so seems to fly in the face of this.

Is the quick cool period actually required through a certain temperature range (eg 60degC to pitch temp)?? And how will the 80degC pause affect the outcome?

 

[markp]

Thanks for clearing that up guys.

In respect of your question commsbiff:
I actually wondered the very same thing myself....but then thought, the pasteurization process is carried out generally in the low 70's (degrees). I can't see the wort cooling from 80 to below this during a 20 minute steep.....perhaps the infection risk at this temperature is minimal??

 

[commsbiff]

I agree with next to no risk of infection. However, It's not infection that causes the off flavours - it's something else that's currently over my head.

 

[corby_brewer]

I usualy drop the temp to 80o to steep the hops then let it cool overnight b4 i pitch the yeast,. ive never had any infection or off flavors so far.

 

[tubby_shaw]

I agree with next to no risk of infection. However, It's not infection that causes the off flavours - it's something else that's currently over my head.

Rapid cooling is more for securing the cold break which assists with clarity, rather than reducing the risk of off flavours :thumb:
There is a (Small)risk of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) formation continuing with slow cooling, but using good quality malts coupled with a vigorous boil will minimise this.
Most people cant detect nominal amounts of DMS anyway
The cold break begins to form around 75C iirc and is more effective if it achieved rapidly :thumb:
So cooling to 80C and adding aroma hops will allow them to be sanitised and the 15 to 20 minute steep should not allow the temperature to drop too much below 75C and interfere with cold break formation.
Everyone is a winner :party:

 

[commsbiff]

cheers ts - cleared that up. I should have listened more at Matchfest

 

[tubby_shaw]

cheers ts - cleared that up. I should have listened more at Matchfest

Not to me you shouldn't I was a little tipsy :whistle:
:drink:
:drunk:

 

[Aleman]

Spot on TS :thumb:

However DMS is still produced in massive quantities at 80C right through to 40C . . . but the good thing is that its boiling point is 35C so as long as the cooling wort is not covered any DMS produced will evaporate away and not be an issue.

The idea of the 80C steep (In fact I use 70C) came courtesy of David Edge following on from a brewing course at Brewlab (The 4 day home brewer one ... that they don't do any more ). What they found ont he course was that aroma hops added late in the boil or at switch off contributed significantly to the bitterness of the beer (Particularly in context of the increasing weights of aroma hops being used), and that adding them at or below 80C produced plenty of aroma (especially as lots of it wasn't being driven off). . . but did not increase the bitterness significantly.

 

[tubby_shaw]

Cheers Aleman :thumb:
That explains things even further, I love this forum, learning all the time :party:

 

[rickthebrew]

would adding a few grams of hops to the fermenting beer in the FV have any effect? Would they infuse any aroma or would this just be a waste of hops? :wha:

 

[tubby_shaw]

would adding a few grams of hops to the fermenting beer in the FV have any effect? Would they infuse any aroma or would this just be a waste of hops? :wha:

Waste of hops
Co2 is a good solvent of the essential oils that give you the aroma we desire so much and the majority of the aroma will be carried away during the fermentation. If you want to add dry hops to the FV, add them when fermentation has finished and the yeast is settling and cleaning up after its self :thumb:

 

[jamesb]

Co2 is a good solvent of the essential oils that give you the aroma we desire so much and the majority of the aroma will be carried away during the fermentation. If you want to add dry hops to the FV, add them when fermentation has finished and the yeast is settling and cleaning up after its self :thumb:

Indeed. Using CO2 is one of the ways they make Isomerised Hop Extract.

Also explains why we lose hop aroma when force carbonating in a cornie.

 

[MEB]

Spot on TS :thumb:

However DMS is still produced in massive quantities at 80C right through to 40C . . . but the good thing is that its boiling point is 35C so as long as the cooling wort is not covered any DMS produced will evaporate away and not be an issue.

The idea of the 80C steep (In fact I use 70C) came courtesy of David Edge following on from a brewing course at Brewlab (The 4 day home brewer one ... that they don't do any more ). What they found ont he course was that aroma hops added late in the boil or at switch off contributed significantly to the bitterness of the beer (Particularly in context of the increasing weights of aroma hops being used), and that adding them at or below 80C produced plenty of aroma (especially as lots of it wasn't being driven off). . . but did not increase the bitterness significantly.

There is no scientific eveidence as to what temp below boiling point that adding hops at is the most efficient for creating a hop 'aroma'. It will vary wildly depending on the hop. But the points that Aleman has outlined are quite valid. A lot of experiment has been done recently with regards to this. A lot of stupidly overly hopped beers are popping up all over the place and as 'hop aroma' is currently very trendy there are surely more to come, unfortunately.

Personally I quite like a good hop aroma in certain beers. Mostly strong sweet beers-I enjoy the hop aroma when there is little hop taste or flavour-it adds a nice dimension to my palate. As is the norm in my strong trad Ales. Yet in my IPA's and PA's I prefer a lot of late boil hops and little aroma hops. I find the late addition hops give a fine light aroma and the hoppy style of the beer is where the hops shine through. But that's just me and also the beauty of crafting your own fine Ales. :thumb:
I add my aroma hops on flame out, allow to cool for 20 mins. Then crash cool. For me and my palate this is the way I get the most constant aroma for the least amount of money/hops. I do not keg beers that require aroma from the hops. I find that bottle conditioned Ales with a good hop aroma improve with time in the bottle-including the aroma when first opened. Quite a joy.